There are known many different ways and arrangements for securing a cutting insert, such as a releasable cutting insert, in an insert pocket of a cutting tool.
These arrangements usually involve a clamping element, such as a clamping screw, which is inserted in a through bore of the cutting insert and screwably received into a threaded bore formed in the insert pocket.
In some applications of rotating cutting tools, the cutting insert is clamped in the insert pocket “radially”, i.e., such that the longitudinal axis of the clamping screw is generally perpendicular to a radial plane which is parallel to, and which extends through, the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.
In other applications of rotating cutting tools, the cutting insert is clamped in the insert pocket “tangentially”, i.e., such that the longitudinal axis of the clamping screw is generally parallel to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation and parallel to a radial plane which is parallel to, and which extends through, the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.
A cutting tool having multiple radially clamped cutting inserts requires the cutting inserts to be sufficiently spaced apart, to allow enough room for removing and inserting the respective clamping screws, from and in the cutting inserts, respectively. This relatively limits the possible number of radially clamped cutting inserts in a single cutting tool, which may potentially limit the performance of the cutting tool. Cutting inserts tangentially clamped are relatively thick in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the possible number of tangentially clamped cutting inserts in a single cutting tool is also relatively limited, which may similarly limit the cutting tool in performance.
For example, a milling tool having a diameter of 80 millimeters may be limited to have at most seven cutting inserts, whereas a milling tool having a diameter of 100 millimeters may be limited to have at most eight cutting inserts.
Additionally, for cutting tools having either radially or tangentially clamped cutting inserts, replacement of a cutting insert may require the complete removal of the clamping screw from its insert pocket. Thus, the replacement procedure may be time consuming and cumbersome, especially if the cutting tool has a relatively high number of cutting inserts.
In addition, clamping mechanisms of some cutting tools, for example, of cutting tools having tangentially clamped cutting inserts, may include components that are only able to withstand a low exertion of pressure thereon. These components may include clamping pins or screw-heads that are limited in strength or performance, for example, due to the geometry of the inserts and/or of the clamping mechanisms involved.